Textile studio JS helps brands tell their story through unique prints.
Who are you?
My name is Juraj Straka, I’m 39 years old, originally from Slovakia, and I am a designer of printed fabrics, founder, and art director of two companies working in the field of fashion and design.
Tell us in one sentence, what’s your business about.
My main company – Textile Studio JS is helping various fashion brands to tell their story through unique printed fabrics that we design for them.
What are you most proud of in your business?
Having today a rather solid ground under my feet despite the unfortunate timing of launching my company only five days prior to Covid pandemic over 3 years ago. In more detail, I’m extremely proud to be able to work with great clients all around the world and living off my passion.
What makes you Unstoppable?
Self-improvement is kind of an addiction. Once you jump on that train, and start to realise that the sky is the limit, it is very difficult to stop.
Why did you decide to consult Andy’s services?
Over a year and a half ago, I was clearly heading into a burnout, due to the overwork caused by running two companies at once and the lack of finances. I admitted to myself that I was not able to help myself out of the vicious circle I was trapped in. I was in a rather desperate state of mind and willing to try “anything” to improve my life. This was the moment when I grabbed my phone and called Andy to get information about the program.
How would you describe Andy’s work style?
Casual and friendly, yet very determined to put fire under your ass to take actions. I think that to be able to open yourself to someone, you must feel to be in a safe zone, almost like having a coffee with a friend. I appreciate this vibe that we have in our sessions, that makes it much easier to hear the “harsh truth” or to feel vulnerable when needed. Andy is also a very energetic person, taking quick actions himself. For example, when I confessed my fear of networking in public events, he literally grabbed my hand, and a couple of days later took me to a networking event with him and showed me how it’s done and we had a great evening full of fun and new contacts.
What was the impact of working with other experts through Andy’s network?
We all excel in certain things, and there is an expert on every topic. Andy knows this, so instead of trying to master all possible topics himself, he has a great network of people around him that he puts in connection with at the right moments. I personally got the chance to take advantage of this network by having great one-on-one sessions with an expert in business and personal branding, I was introduced to a web designer who redesigned my whole digital presence, and I was introduced to organizers of network events in the fashion business through whom I found new clients.
What’s your biggest takeaway from our partnership?
In the process, I learned how to love myself more, which was for me a complete side effect of the whole transformation, but only now do I realize that it was the most important one.
What would you say to those who are hesitating to hire Andy?
That the hesitation to start is absolutely normal and relevant. I was quite skeptical myself in the beginning, to be really honest. Questions like: “Is this a scam? Can I actually afford to pay this? How can someone who doesn’t see into my particular field of business can give me any real advice?” were very present in the beginning. Once I overcame these, and started to see the program as an investment, rather than a “magic overnight cure” for my problems, my hesitation disappeared. I quickly understood that Andy will not solve my problems himself, but that he can give me custom designed tools to solve them myself. So if somebody is hesitating to start, I think the only important question to ask yourself is: “ Am I willing to put a lot of time and energy into this? “ and if the answer is “yes”, then you are ready to start this hard, yet very rewarding journey.
Before
I was working 24/7, with almost no personal life, with a huge guilt on my shoulders to even take a day off. I was struggling with finances; due to underpriced services I was providing and I was dealing with toxic clients that were causing a lot of stress.
After
I am still working a lot, I will not lie, running a business is never an easy job. I significantly raised my prices, not because Andy told me to, but because today I’m aware of my worth and the real value I bring to my clients. By securing my financial situation, I’m now able to focus on more important things in my business. I learned to say “no” to certain clients and projects, which was one of the most difficult things to learn. I’m overall less stressed, taking more time off than I ever did before, and focusing more on building my company, rather than just working for my company.